Edmonds Cyclist Avoids Gas Pump for Daily Commute
Robert Stiles estimates he would have pumped 335 more gallons this past year if not for his bicycle and buses
Snohomish County, Wash. – Some 20 years ago, Robert Stiles decided to stop using his car for his daily work commute. Instead, he started taking the bus and riding his bike from Edmonds to Seattle each weekday.
It worked so well for him that he began leaving the car home more often, using bus and bike to get around on his own time. After tracking his commute habits as part of the Curb the Congestion program, Stiles estimates that in 2016 he saved about 335 gallons of gas that he otherwise would have pumped if he were driving his car for every trip.
His dedication to environmentally-friendly transportation options won him the honor of Curb the Congestion Champion of the 2nd Quarter 2017 from Community Transit.
Community Transit’s Curb the Congestion and Smart Commuter Rewards are two programs that target large employers and the most-congested corridors in Snohomish County and Bothell to reduce drive-alone trips, and recognize individuals who use smart transportation options. So far in 2017 these programs combined removed 233,134 drive-alone trips from our roads, and prevented 2.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the air we breathe.
The two innovative transportation demand management (TDM) programs are offered in addition to Community Transit’s bus, vanpool and paratransit service to help reduce traffic congestion and pollution, and encourage healthy travel options.
Smart Commuter Rewards is an incentive program that helps large businesses motivate employees to reduce their drive-alone trips to work.
Curb the Congestion [link archived] promotes smart transportation options to residents and employees on six of Snohomish County’s most congested corridors.
Each quarter Community Transit recognizes standout participants who are dedicated to smart transportation choices. Congratulations to the award winners for the 2nd Quarter of 2017:
Smart Commuter of the 2nd Quarter 2017
Michelle McDonald of Everett is a Senior Internal Consultant at Premera Blue Cross in Mountlake Terrace. For 24 years she’s been dedicated to riding the bus and teleworking for her work commute every day of the week. McDonald is an advocate for using smart transportation choices and encourages her coworkers to give them a try. In the past year, McDonald has saved 6,537 drive-alone miles, $1,558 and prevented 3,847 pounds of CO2 from entering the air.
Curb the Congestion Champion of the 2nd Quarter 2017
Robert Stiles of Edmonds has shown his dedication to smart transportation choices by his commitment to using options other than driving alone for work and personal trips for more than 20 years. He commutes by bicycle and bus from Edmonds to Seattle five days a week, rain or shine. Stiles also leads a bike team during Bike Month, and encourages his friends and coworkers to give smart transportation a try. His trips logged in the Curb the Congestion program in the last 12 months saved an impressive 335 gallons of gasoline, 1,139 drive-alone trips and $2,513.
To learn more about the Choice Connections program and to sign up to start receiving rewards for your smart transportation choices, please visit Choice Connections.
Community Transit is responsible for providing bus and paratransit service, vanpool and alternative commute options in Snohomish County. The agency is building a network of Swift bus rapid transit lines with Swift Blue Line along Highway 99 and the Swift Green Line between Canyon Park/Bothell and Boeing/Paine Field coming in 2019.
